Dancing in the Moonlight
by Dramatic Insanity
Summary: "Nothing... is real. I've forgotten how to live, without you shining in the dark." Skipper/Julien (Skiju)


A/N: I know it's April Fool's Day… But this is not a joke! Features guest appearance by Piney/Pineapple from AHKJ.

* * *

"_We've got to stop Dr. Blowhole before his latest plan comes to fruition, men. Now, the tracking device I secretly planted shows he's in the bay -"_

"_Oh~ Can I come?"_

"_No Ringtail, no civilians on this one!"_

"_But I was being helpful last time! Pretty please?"_

"_Alright, soldier. But only 'cause you're cute!"_

"_Cute, Skipper?"_

"_Did - haha - I didn't say that out loud Did I?"_

"_Blast it's a trap."_

"_I told you we should have taken the left entrance."_

"_This is madness, Blowhole!"_

"_You cannot stop me this time pengu-wins. I have planned for everything."_

"_What about me pushing this button?"_

"_No don't touch that!"_

"_Ringtail, what have you done?"_

"_Julien! Julien! JULIEN!"_

Julien drags himself out of the water and collapses on the beach. His limbs don't feel as heavy as he expected, but he has a splitting headache. He thinks he may have learned his lesson this time butting in on the penguins' missions. His brain is full of fuzzy recollections, but the images are too murky to decipher.

They were lured into a trap via Blowhole's underwater base. They were locked in fierce battle, all had seemed hopeless. None other than King Julien himself had accidentally initiated the self-destruct. Everything after that is a blur. All he knows is he's the reason the penguins are alive, but it appears they left him to die.

"Skipper are you there," Julien calls, "Private, Kowalski, Rico? Anyone?"

It's night now, and the moon is particularly bright. He squints at it. The moon is definitely full. He gets to his feet, surprised to find no aches or injuries other than his throbbing skull. He rubs his forehead, trying to get his brain to calm down. There's no sign of his crown in the darkness - oh well, he has a spare.

He will have a long trek back to the zoo.

He finds an alcove among the rocks on the beach. He curls up to get some sleep. When he opens his eyes, the darkness of the niche stares back. He rolls over. The sun hits his irises and makes him groan. He feels that he got no rest. It's so bright, he swears for a split second he can almost see through his own hand.

Regardless, he walks to the zoo. He doesn't feel hungry or tired, which is very strange. It must just be the shock of almost dying. He wishes he had someone to complain to about this chore. If only he could grow wings and fly.

Julien asks, "Are you testing me, sky spirits?"

He believes he hears a whisper, for a moment. It sounds like his old friend, the pineapple. He strains his ears, but he can't make out the specific words. He shakes his head. "Maybe I will contact them later. I must have water in my ears."

He takes a break and spaces out for a minute. Before he knows it, the park surrounds him. He blinks in confusion. He must have spaced out for longer than he thought. He waves at Fred the squirrel. He isn't acknowledge him. Then, the squirrel does not have a good memory. He shrugs it off, though normally he would be insulted, he's just concerned with getting to the zoo and seeing the penguins, Maurice, and he supposes Mort.

He slips into the zoo, to find it ominously quiet. The zoo is closed, it must be Sunday or a holiday or something, and he has forgotten.

Julien decides to check on the penguins first. Kowalski is furiously drawing on his clipboard. Rico has his doll and is staring at her as though she holds the secrets of the universe. Maybe she does for all Julien knows. Private is silent, his eyes are closed, and he has his head bowed. Is he not in a good mood?

"Hello silly penguins. You are to be perking up now that I am here!" He jumps on the fence and poses for them. Not a single one looks at him.

"Hello? I said for you to perk up now! Pay attention to me," Julien slightly begs.

Kowalski pauses. Julien smiles with hopefulness. He just groans and erases something on the paper. Rico questions him, but he waves the other penguin's concern away with a flipper. Private hasn't moved an inch.

"I see," Julien says and taps his nose. "You are giving to me the shh treatment?"

Julien can't imagine what he did to deserve this. Are they really that angry about the self destruct? It was only an accident. Maybe they think ignoring him will prevent further accidents. Guilt clenches at his heart. He could've gotten them killed, he knows.

"Fine."

Julien stomps over to his own habitat. He will get a better reception there from his loyal subjects. He hugs his throne. "Oh how I have missed being here."

Though he grew up and ruled in Madagascar, his pen and the zoo have been a home away from home. He has never been happier to return. He's still saddened the penguins were unkind to him, but they'll surely get over it in time.

Maurice is sitting by the smoothie bar, his back against the counter. Julien is shocked to see him holding his crown. It's in a sorry state. It's scratched, the leafy decor is bent or missing, and it stinks of salty water. He reaches for it anyway.

"Good, Maurice you saved the royal crown!"

Maurice stands and moves away just as Julien flings himself forward. Julien stumbles and falls ot the ground. He huffs in annoyance. He wonders if the unknown holiday is be mean to King Julien day!

"**He can't - you're not - you can't - the explosion - damaged -"**

Julien crouches and clutches his skull. The Pineapple is very loud and trying hard to contact him. However, the words are warped. He can't understand. He mentally claws at the block in his mind, but it refuses to budge. His head is still hurting.

Maurice sighs. It's such a melancholy sound it makes Julien turn. He climbs up the throne and places the crown there. He pats the crown. Oddly he says, "Don't worry. He'll return."

"About what? About the fact everyone is acting like they're in the twilighty zone? Who's returning? What is wrong with you," Julien demands. "What is wrong with _me_?!"

Maurice doesn't respond or even look at him. He climbs down from the throne, and his eyes are deep set and tired. Julien reaches for him now. Something low in his gut stops him from touching. He curls his hand and pulls it back to himself.

If anyone would have answers, it's Skipper. He returns to the penguin habitat, and thankfully the other three are nowhere to be found on top or below. Mort is there for some reason. He's rolled into a ball and appears to be asleep in front of the TV. An empty King Julien themed drinking cup is laying nearby. Skipper is staring in the direction of the screen, but Julien can tell he's not really watching. There is nothing but static on the screen.

Julien is afraid to speak at this point. Despite this, his heart is not racing and his stomach doesn't have butterflies. He just feels sluggish and like he's floating in water. He gathers his courage and wraps it around him.

His voice shakes as he mumbles, "Skipper. I need your help."

Skipper immediately faces him. His eyes are wild and bloodshot. His flippers are tight at his sides. If it had not merely been hours, Julien would think he's been standing there like a statue for days on end.

His beak opens and shuts without a sound a few times. Apparently, Julien is not alone in having a tough time finding the words and sharing them. It's disconcerting though, that Skipper is looking at him like he's seeing a ghost.

Suddenly in an uncanny cheerful tone, he cries, "Julien, my mammal! What can I do for you?"

"Everyone is ignoring me and acting with strangeness. What have I done? Is everyone angry at me for the explosion and almost -"

"No, no. They're just uh - stressed, after the incident. We were worried about you. Give them some space, it'll get better."

"Is that promises?"

Skipper grimaces and looks vaguely ill. Maybe he ate a bad fish.

"I - I promise. Everything will be fine, King Julien. I'm surprised the vet released you already -"

"The vet? Released?"

There's that look again. Julien checks that he hasn't grown an extra head or limb or something.

"Wha - where did you wake up?"

That's an unusual question. Julien doesn't know why he needs that information.

However, he responses, "The beach. I don't remember how I got there, except for destroying Blowhole's base. After that it's blank. All I have is this awful headache."

Skipper places his flipper atop his beak and squeezes his eyes shut. He rubs each eye. He shakes his head with such violent force, Julien worries for a moment it might detach. He looks at Julien in silence.

"Do you have the water in your ears too?"

"What? No I just -" Skipper gazes at him again for a prolonged, somewhat uncomfortable moment.

Julien crosses his arms. "If you are taking a picture, it will be lasting longer. You can be having one, I don't mind."

Skipper laughs, a strained noise. "How is it you sound so _you_ \- the mind really is an incredible thing. Kowalski's going to love this."

"What in the name of Frank are you talking about?"

"Nevermind. Is there anything you'd like to do right now? Anything you wish you would've done before everything went straight to hell?"

"What do you mean, I am always doing what I want."

"Really. There's nothing you wish you would've done before you - I mean uh, if you didn't get another chance? Ever?"

Julien strokes his muzzle. "Perfect my whistling technique?"

"Dig a little deeper."

He puts his hands on his hips. Skipper is not after all immune to whatever strangeness is in the air. He decides to play along anyway.

"Telling Maurice and Mort how important they are to me."

"Well, they can't - it's too soon for that."

"Ugh. Fine. Confessing my feelings to one I love?"

Skipper blinks. "You have feelings for someone?"

"Yes."

"Who?"

Julien makes a noncommittal noise and moves his gaze to the floor.

"Come on, we're best buds right? You can tell me, I won't laugh," Skipper says. The voice of Pineapple booms in Julien's ears at the end of Skipper's sentence.

"**You should - take this - you won't - tell him!"**

Is Pineapple actually trying to help with his love life? He was never interested before this. Julien meets Skipper's eyes again. Unlike other times he tried to say it, he doesn't feel nervous, nauseous, or sweaty, and his heart is calm.

Julien kneels and takes his flipper in his hand. He strokes his feathers. There is not as much sensation as he expected. He thought the feathers would tickle. Nevermind that. He finally confesses, "I am being in love with you, Skipper."

Tears form in Skipper's eyes. They slide out and drip from his beak. Julien is shocked by this display of emotion. Skipper is known for being hardcore, standoffish, and reserved. He doesn't wear his heart on his sleeve, so to speak.

"I - I wish I could've - why does this have to be so -" Skipper takes a deep, shuddering breath. "Deuces. Forgive me. I love you too Julien."

Julien hops to standing position. "Really?!"

Skipper sniffs. "Affirmative."

Julien's headache rocks his skull with a vengeance. He grabs at his ears, and he can distantly hear someone screaming. Is that him? He watches the TV, where lunacorns are playing now. Why isn't Private watching his show? Mort hasn't moved a muscle. Julien's mind drifts on an uneven and winding path. Gentle darkness is around him.

Behind his eyes, he can see a structure coming down. He's tackling Skipper out of the way of a falling beam. Skipper grabs him by the wrist and drags him to the nearest exit point. They enter the ocean just as the base explodes - it's a terrible, heavy sound, muffled by the water. It still sends a shiver of mortal terror through Julien's spine. Skipper has a tight hold on his midsection they swim toward the weak sunlight struggling through the dark ocean.

The vision continues.

A piece of debris hurtles toward them as they're about to break the surface. Skipper is right in the path. He treads water, prepared to take the blow to protect Julien. As king, he won't be having that. No harm shall come to his love. He shoves Skipper underneath him, even as his lungs are burning and screaming for air. He tastes the sharp tang of blood and everything goes white. He can hear Skipper calling his name, then there's ear-ringing silence.

When he mentally returns to the planet, he's in the park and staring up at the starry sky. Skipper's visage appears above him. Julien sits up and grinds his thumbs into his temples. He would've figured this headache would've gone away by now. Julien thinks his eyes are playing tricks on him. Snowflakes are drifting around them, but he does not feel any chill.

He notices Skipper has his boombox. The moon is illuminating him in a fetching way. Skipper twists the knob and soft music filters from the speakers. Skipper offers his wing. For a moment, he has the gut-wrenching panic that if he touches Skipper, he will disappear.

"Dance with me?"

"In the moonlight? How romantic!"

They wrap around each other and sway to the lovely music tones. He feels peaceful, and more importantly wanted and not pushed aside. Skipper sighs, a sound that's somehow happy and sad at once. What is he sad about? Julien considers asking but Skipper nuzzles his neck, distracting him.

Julien folds a little and brushes his lips over Skipper's beak. Skipper makes a soft noise in the back of his throat. He kisses Julien back with gusto. He engulfs Julien's back with his flippers and pulls him so close it should hurt. The kiss deepens, though it's unclear who initiates it. Skipper's tongue meets his. This is most on Earth he's felt since he woke up. He rakes his fingers through Skipper's feathers, desperate to feel more, to feel at all. Skipper should be radiating warmth from his penguin insulation, but Julien can't sense it. He isn't cold, either.

Skipper disconnects them, panting.

It's bizarre, since Julien doesn't feel out of breath. He pushes his hand against his own chest. It isn't moving. He can't find his heartbeat.

Skipper tilts his head. His expression is sorrowful.

As though speaking to himself Skipper announces, "Nothing… is real."

Julien opens his mouth, but the words are trapped.

"Even my mind knows it's fooling itself." Skipper insists, "This is just a delusion."

He holds up his hand, palm out, as though it can stop Skipper's awful words. He realizes he can still see Skipper. Julien really looks at his hand for the first time. It's semi-transparent. He glances at the stars twinkling above, but they offer no answers. Julien falls to his knees. He wants to cry. The tears won't come. His muzzle doesn't even experience the pressure that heralds the urge to start sobbing.

Images flash in his mind: _when he didn't feel wet and tired getting out the water, not sleeping, his hand being see-through, closing his eyes and suddenly appearing somewhere else, no one hearing him speak, not sensing any temperature._

"No, this can't be," Julien moans in despair. "I'm _real_, you're _real_. This _is_ **real**… it has to be..."

Skipper stares at him. "I'm going to go visit the real you - or what's left of you, anyway. Please, apparition, give me some time alone before you follow me."

He watches Skipper leave, and his throat would be tight if he could feel his body. Pineapple floats to him from the sky and hovers in front of him. Julien makes distressed noises, even though he cannot cry. For the first time, Pineapple is able to reach him with clarity.

"**I'm sorry I couldn't tell you sooner Julien. The debris from the explosion hit you in the head. Skipper thinks you're nothing more than the imaginary result of his grief. You're in a coma, and they heard the veterinarian say your brain had no activity. ****That there was very little chance you would wake up."**

Julien screams into his hands. "You're lying, it's not true!"

"**In a way, Skipper is correct. Nothing is real. You're having an out of body experience."**

"Then why can I feel him? Why does he see me, touch me, and hear me? The others did not!"

"**That… I am not certain. My guess is that you share a special connection - either because of your mutual love, the fact you are in this state because you saved his life, or both. King Julien -"**

"Send me back," Julien commands. "Bring me back to life, you've done it before!"

Pineapple wobbles side to side, like someone shaking their head. "**You are not dead Julien. Your brain ceased function, but your body still lives. Your soul is still attached to your body."**

"But - but - it will die eventually right? Then you can bring me back?"

"**I'm afraid that won't be possible. We are only allowed to grant one such miracle to each worthy person."**

Julien hugs his tail, though it offers him no comfort. He's a spirit, or a projection, or something. He wants Kowalski there to give some kind of convoluted scientific explanation. He can't even properly expression his emotions. None of it is fair.

"**I suggest you make your peace with the situation. It will be an honor to see you in Frank-ri-la," **Pineapple says solemnly. "**Again, I'm sorry that I cannot do more. That it had to end like this."**

Julien hates that he didn't admit his feelings to Skipper when he actually had the chance. At least Skipper got to hear the words, got to express his affections, even if he believes it was all pretend. He's never felt such incredible guilt and despair. There are so many things he wishes he could have said aloud.

He considers trudging to the zoo. Then, he closes his eyes and thinks of the veterinarian office. When he opens his eyes, he's there. He's hovering like Pineapple above his own motionless form. There are many medical things attached to him. A machine beeps slow and steady, his heartbeat. Another screen has a flat line. Skipper is at his side. He kisses the comatose Julien's hand and whispers, "Wake up, my love."

Julien holds his palm in front of the screen. He closes his nonexistent eyes and grits his nonexistent teeth in concentration. He can distantly feel it, his body - there's the sensation of the needle in his arm, the touch of Skipper's wing on his chest. Skipper's beak rests on his head.

He gathers every ounce of his spiritual strength and shoves.

_Please. It can't end like this._

Julien is coughing. He grips the softness of the pillow as he hacks up his lungs. Water and blood specks drip on his hand. He stares at his fingers and wiggles them, feeling an odd sensation like he's missed them. The needle tugs at his skin, and he freezes as to not dislodge it.

Skipper is looking at him, his features stunned and beak parted in alarm. The veterinarian rushes in, and he's poking and prodding at Julien. He relaxes, letting it happen. The last he can remember, he was insisting on joining the penguins on a mission. A week passes as he's kept by the vet under observation. His head feels funny and filled with cotton. His limbs don't always obey what he wants them to do.

However, he's alive. He's elated at that, though he can't fathom why he's so relieved.

He doesn't recall ever doubting that he should be alive. At least, not recently. Occasionally, when he's alone, he has flashes. He's about to drown in the ocean, or he's talking to an unseen figure, and in his favorite ones he's dancing with Skipper and kissing him.

He must have been asleep for a while. They seem to be hazy memories of his dreams.

Julien returns to his habitat to be greeted by a welcoming party. They surround him, babbling things he can't quite comprehend. He attempts to speak, but nothing comes out right. No one seems to mind. Maurice tells him he will improve, his brain just needs assistance to find the pathways. He doesn't know what this means, but he's just glad everyone cares so much.

Skipper gets him alone and says, "How do you feel?"

"Crooked," Julien states simply. Skipper smiles and pats his shoulder.

"You have a bit of brain damage, but the veterinarian is hopeful that with hard work, you'll be back to your old self eventually."

"Guh - uh - good to it. _Hear_ it."

Skipper nods. Skipper admits, "I missed you. I thought that you wouldn't - well, it's like."

Skipper pauses, presumably to collect his thoughts. He's barely controlling his emotions. Julien can see that he's tense and his eyes are dampening.

"Nothing... is real. I've forgotten how to live, without you shining in the dark."

He glances at the other animals. They're not paying attention to the pair. Skipper embraces him. Julien sighs and melts into him. He wants this to last forever.

"**You should take this chance in case you don't get another. Tell him."**

Julien's eyes dart across the habitat in search of the owner of that voice. It sounds familiar, but he can't yank it from the depths of his memory. Either way, he gets the sense he knows exactly what he needs to do. Skipper pulls back from the hug.

Julien grabs his flipper and holds it against his heart. His heart is racing, and his breathing is shallow. The nerves hit him full force, but he is able to summon the courage to overcome his fear. Beneath his fur, he's warm and tingly all over. He takes a deep breath.

"In my dreams, I am having love, and we are dancing. Do you dance with me?" _I love you. Do you love me? Do you want to be with me for the rest of time?_ Julien is unable to recognize if his statement is coherent. All he can do is pour his feelings into the words and hope it is able to be translated.

Skipper chuckles shakily. "Sorry, I'm not laughing at you I just - yes, Julien, I love to dance with you. I would love to dance with you again."

Julien grins. Skipper dares to give him a gentle kiss, and Julien returns it, blushing and full of glee. When they part Julien says, "How's the moonlight?"

Skipper cradles Julien's hand between his flippers. "Luminous. Like you."


End file.
